Sins of the Father
by eastongilmore
Summary: No one wanted to see Jax Teller's sons dive head first into the life he died to keep his sons out of. Rated M for language
1. Chapter 1

"Abel, get out of bed _right now_!" Wendy yelled up the stairs to her oldest boy. She didn't miss a beat smacking the back of her younger boy's head at the table as he scoffed at his brother.

"Hey! Mom!" Thomas scowled as he hunched back over his cereal, hopefully away from his mother's reaching hands.

"When I come back down, that bowl better be in the dishwasher, don't just throw it in the sink." Wendy threatened as she stomped up the stairs. She had been raising the Teller boys by herself for thirteen years and quite honestly, hadn't gotten the hang of it yet. Her oldest, Abel, was the spitting image of his father and with that spitting image came Jax's attitude and demeanor. Her eighteen year old son was the walking 2.0 version of her dead ex-husband, and more than once she caught herself almost yelling at him like he was actually Jax.

"Get up _now. _You have to take your brother to school, and he has a zero period." Wendy said as she ripped the blankets off Abel's bed.

"Good god, mom. Just go away." He groaned and refused to keep his eyes open. Wendy leaned back with her hands on her hips, frustrated beyond belief. Abel had been an easy kid until he hit fifteen. It was like Jax had come back from the grave to reside in his son's body. "I will not go away, you need to drop Thomas off at school and you need to actually attend a class to graduate this year."

"_Fine._" Abel growled rolling out of bed. He ran a hand through his messy blond hair before shuffling sleepily off into the bathroom. With a huff Wendy went back down stairs to Thomas actually doing what he was told.

"Thank you, sweetheart." She said pressing a kissing to his temple as Thomas closed the door to the dishwasher. Thomas was still easy as he was only a few months away from turning sixteen. He did what he was told, and usually chose different paths from Abel. Wendy sometimes thought it was because Thomas had taken more after Tara, Thomas's birth mother, than Jax. Thomas may look more like Jax than Tara but he had taken her mannerisms. "Sure thing, Mom."

"Abel!" Wendy yelled. Her son let out a long winded sigh as he pulled a sweatshirt over his head at the top of the stairs proceeding to take his sweet time tying his shoes. "Abel Jackson Teller." His hands froze at the use of his middle name, knowing he was in trouble and then hurriedly finished tying his shoes. Abel bounded down the stairs, jackhammering every second stair on the way down just to be a brat about it. With a long legged leap, he skipped the last four steps, bringing his tennis shoes in for a slap landing against the wood floor. His dramatic performance earned him rolled eyes from Thomas and a glare from his mother.

"Let's go, kid." Abel said as he paused at the door to kiss his mother. With his hair cropped short and white t-shirt, Wendy had to blink to remind herself that it was Abel kissing her cheek and not Jax. At least Abel wore jeans that actually fit right and weren't two sizes too big.

"Wait, are you taking your bike?" Thomas said stopping as he saw Abel pick up his keys.

"Uh, yeah. What else would I take?"

"Absolutely not. I refuse to ride bitch." Thomas crossed his arms and dropped his backpack on the kitchen floor. Abel smirked at his little brother, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to the garage.

"Ride bitch or no zero period, you brat."

Wendy groaned, rubbing her temple before yanking her keys off the wall hook, "I'll take you Thomas, you can practice driving." She turned and sent a dirty look to Abel, "You and I will talk later."

"Yeah, yeah." Abel rolled his eyes as he sauntered out the door. Wendy watched her son throw his leg over his Harley and pull out of the drive, imitating Jax all the way down to his white sneakers. Jax had signed over everything to her before he died, leaving specific instructions with Chibs on what to do. Selling the garage and the houses…she had tried, but when it came down to it she couldn't bring herself to sign the papers. Wendy had discussed possible courses with Chibs and Tig at length. In the end, she decided to stay in Charming. Jax had sacrificed so much for the club to go straight, getting rid of all of it would be scorning everything the SAMCRO Prince had worked for. The Garage had been renamed, the club dived into legitament businesses, and Wendy had moved the boys into a nice two story house. Abel and Thomas had grown up in a Charming that Jax had only dreamed about and his father had only written about. She spun her keys in her hand before tossing them to Thomas. She would need to go talk to Chibs after she dropped Thomas off. It was time Abel read "The Life and Death of Sam Crow" before he begged Chibs to be a Prospect again.

"Mornin' sweetheart." Chibs called as Wendy walked through the door of the clubhouse. SAMCRO had rebuilt after it had been blown to pieces almost over a decade ago. The new clubhouse was custom designed, everything built with a purpose and there may or may not be a few false doors and panels, of course that had never been confirmed by any of the members.

The current President of the Sons of Anarchy pushed a cup of coffee Wendy's way as she sat at the bar. Sighing heavily she looked towards the Irish man still as charming as she remembered him to be all those years ago. He loved Abel and Thomas like his own sons, had been the closest thing to a father for them beside Nero. "I'm having some problems with Abel."

"What did the kid do now?"

"Just the usual. He's acting out, not to mention he refuses to tell me anything."

"Ya think it had to do with the Sons turnin' him down for a Prospect?" Chibs asked concerned, swirling his luke warm coffee around. Abel a few months had come to Chibs one night asking to become a member of the club. He asked sheepishly but when Chibs expressed his dislike of the idea, Abel had started getting heated. In a hope to calm him down, Chibs had promised SOA would vote on it at church the next day. It had been voted down, and Abel hadn't taken it well. The kid had stormed off, mad as hell.

"Maybe, he's restless Chibs. Most nights he doesn't even come home anymore." Wendy admitted, "I'm afraid I'm going to find him dead in a ditch somewhere after he crashes his bike doing something stupid."

Chibs nodded, it was something he had visions about too. "Tig and I will talk to Abel boy today when he shows up for work. Don't worry, Wendy." Chibs squeezed her shoulder as he moved from the bar to go wake up his Vice President to talk the matter over. Abel was a lot like Jax, he would make a fine member of the club. Not to mention he knew Abel would keep the club going straight. Tig and Chibs had struggled to keep the club straight, Cara-Cara was still in full swing and was bringing in some cash but it wasn't enough. It had been a heated debate for weeks now about dipping back into doing some illegal small things on the side. Tig and the other members didn't want Abel to come in as a Prospect when that could possibly be the direction the club was heading back into. No one wanted to see Jax Teller's son dive head first into the life he died to keep his sons out of. Tig claimed that Jax would come back from the grave and haunt them all if that happened.

Most of the members agreed with Tig, even though they would never admit it. Jax Teller had been a capable man living, and the fact that Abel imitated his father down to his catch phrases only scared the guys more.

Abel deserved more of a life than the club.

Abel let out a sigh as he laid back, hands gripping his hand bars, feet propped on the back wheel. As a Senior, he didn't have to be to school until third period, he could have slept into 8:30 a.m. if it hadn't been for his mother. The thought of his mother brought a scowl across his face.

She was constantly on his back micromanaging his life. Wendy never did that with Thomas, the kid got away with _everything. _Hell, Thomas could murder someone and Wendy would forgive him.

But not Abel. Definitely not Abel.

"Hey hot shot." A female voice said as she slapped Abel on the chest as she walked in front of his bike. He grunted and cracked an eye open to look at the long legged smiling brunette. It had taken her long enough to wake up and get ready. Abel had long ago given up on her ever being on time. Every morning he pulled up outside her house, threw down the kickstand and took a nap until she decided it was time to go.

"How did Princess Joanna sleep last night?" Abel asked sarcastically, stretching his back as he sat up.

"_Princess Joanna_ slept just fine, thank you very much." She shot back, a smirk tugging at her lips. Joanna and Abel had been joined at the hip since fourth grade. She had moved to Charming with her mother after her biological father, a Sons of Anarchy Nomad member, had been killed in a bloody Mayan fight. Her mother, Anna, reached out to the Mother Charter club for help and like true family they had agreed to help the best they could. Anna balanced the books at the garage, Teller Auto, and helped out with the club occasionally.

"You sure about that?" Abel asked handing her a helmet.

"Yes, I am sure." Joanna stiff armed.

"Yeah, okay." Abel rolled his eyes. He knew damn well she had spent the night at her date's house. Abel never understood what Joanna could see in her current boyfriend, Tyler. She wasn't the cheerleader type, other than Tyler she didn't hang with the jocks. During pep rallies she would walk right out the front doors of the school with Abel and his friends, in a silent protest against the popular crowd.

There was nothing that Joanna did that Abel didn't know about. They were close, _very _close. Much to Abel's frustration it had never turned into some sort of couple relationship. Both of them had dated other people and somehow they both came crying back to the other when things ended with the significant other. They did everything together, and Abel had found himself rearranging his class schedule multiple times over the last four years to be in her classes.

Joanna was brainy, but not in a way he understood. She never sat upfront, always in the back with Abel, and she never reminded the teacher when an assignment was due or that homework hadn't been given. She never bragged about her grades, and never held it against Abel when he asked for help on homework. Abel had never cared about school but in an effort to be with Joanna, he had dropped into all the honor and AP classes. The result of that was long frustrating nights of trying to figure out how to write multiple essays while attempting to finish all his assigned work at the garage. Even when kids made her out for an idiot for having a drunken step-father and dead father, Joanna never threw her grades in their faces. But, she did have a nasty right hook and was quick to make anyone regret opening their mouth.

Abel casually turned and watched as she climbed on the back of his bike, arm sliding around his waist. The last year Abel had spent more nights in a cold shower than he could count after he realized that Joanna had gotten hot.

But she was taken by someone else. Damn it all.

Abel pulled into a parking spot at school, purposely picking one the farthest away from Tyler's truck. His bad mood had doubled on the ride to school, the way thinking about how he had to watch Joanna and Tyler act like a couple for a few hours.

"Thanks Abe." Joanna said, landing a peck on his cheek.

"No problem." Abel said cursing his pale complexion because she could probably see the heat rising to the surface of his skin as Joanna's lips had meet his cheek bone.

"Fucking asshole." Abel murmured as Tyler loped across the parking lot to meet Joanna. He refused to look as Tyler kissed Joanna and slipped her backpack off her shoulder.

"Bad morning, bro?" Thomas asked sweetly as he leaned against the back of his girlfriend's car.

"Oh shut up." Abel growled tugging down on the straps of his backpack. Thomas had taken a page out of his older brother's book and had ended up hooked up with a blonde cheerleader who was two years older than him.

Abel hadn't dated someone in over a year.

"Your fault for not tapping that when you could have." Thomas grinned, motioning to Joanna who was now hand in hand with Tyler. She placed a hand on Tyler's shoulder, excusing herself as she raced across to her friend Maddi.

Tyler waited until Abel went to walk past him refusing to be in the presence of Thomas and Becky any longer. He pulled himself up to his full height, and stopped Abel by grabbing his backpack.

"You got a problem, Roberts?" Abel snarled turning around to face him.

"I know what you're doing, Teller."

Not even bothering to look innocent, Abel merely shrugged. "Do you?"

"Joanna is _mine._"

"Yours, huh? Then why isn't she wearing your letterman?" Abel's lips curled in disgust as he flicked his hand against the school patch of Tyler's letterman jacket. "Isn't that what you assholes do? Kind of like marking your territory isn't it?"

Over Tyler's shoulder, Thomas was breaking away from Becky heading straight for Abel.

"Hey, Sunshine!" Thomas asked tapping Tyler on the shoulder.

"Go to hell." Tyler growled knocking Thomas's hand away from him. He glared one last time and shoved past Abel.

"You make great friends, Abe." Thomas commented drily. Abel grabbed his brother and ground his fist into his hair. "Didn't I already tell you to shut up?"

By the time lunch rolled around Abel was pretty much sick of being stuck in school. He had been ready to call it a day after his first period. It just so happened to be the last full week of school before finals and Joanna was being religious about her study guides and classwork, refusing to cut class with him. Abel didn't bother going through the lunch line, didn't really feel like going through the hassle, and stepped out in the quad to see Tyler sitting with his arm wrapped around Joanna's waist.

Detouring to his brother's table, he tapped him on the shoulder as he walked by. Thomas looked up, caught sight of Abel, and stood up after him.

Thomas straddled the bench next to Tyler, plucking a French fry his tray. On the other side Abel managed to squeeze in between Tyler and Joanna.

"That's my food, Teller."

"Does it have your name on it?" Thomas asked popping another fry into his mouth.

"Good point, Tommy. I don't see your name anywhere on this tray Roberts. You steal it?" Abel asked, taking a long drink from Tyler's water.

"Give me that! Go get your own food." Tyler demanded holding his hand out for the water.

"Or you'll what?" Thomas asked taking a deliberately big bite out of the apple.

"Be nice guys." Joanna said rolling her eyes.

"We are being nice. Tryin' to figure out what poor dude had his lunch stolen by Tyler here." Abel winked.

"Real class act Teller. Take your white trash antics somewhere else."

"Oh did you hear that Tommy? We are white trash now." Abel asked acting surprised.

"Just like Daddy, aren't you?" Tyler hissed.

All Abel saw was red. Before he knew it, his hands were bunched in Tyler's shirt and he was dragging the football star off the bench.

"You don't have the right to talk about my father." Abel growled, throwing Tyler up against the nearest tree.

"Oh shit." Thomas said scrambling off the bench, "Abel. Abe, he's not worth it."

"Abel! Let him go!" Joanna pleaded dragging on Abel's arm. "Abel please."

Abel snarled as he suddenly let Tyler go. "Don't fucking talk about my family."

"Free country, Teller. I'll talk about your mass murdering father and crank whore mother if I damn want to. The whole town knows how you guys are white trash pieces of shit."

Joanna swore, as Abel turned and let his fist fly catching Tyler right in the nose. Thomas was on top of Tyler before he could even process what brother hit him.

Joanna was shoved out of the way as the football team can charging across the quad to back Tyler up as Thomas and Abel took turns beating the shit out of his face.

"Hey!" Joanna turned and saw a few of the male teachers running from their classes. "Break it up!"

The teachers jumped in dragging football players off of Thomas and Abel who had ended up at the bottom of the fight club pile. Joanna shook her head in disgust at the split lips and bruised faces of the Teller boys.

"Principal's office, _now._" The P.E. teacher said roughly grabbing Abel and Thomas by their shirt collars. Abel scoffed and Thomas adverted his eyes as they were marched past Joanna into the main building.

"Abel Jackson!"

Mere feet from the door Abel considered pretending he didn't hear his mother and continue on his way. He was so close to the stairs, his room just up ahead. It wouldbt be a lie that held up, however, as he was sure the neighbors heard his mother. With a resigned sigh he turned towards the living room and pushed open the door. "Hey Ma."

"Care to explain why I got a call from the Deans office today?"

"Nothing to explain." Abel said giving an indifferent shrug of his shoulders as he propped his arm up on the wall. He cut his eyes across the room to Chibs who was standing behind his mother. The stupid Dean of Men had called the older Irish man when he couldn't get a hold of Wendy about the fight at school. Chibs hadn't said anything as he listened to the Dean and Principal before telling Abel and Thomas to go straight home.

"Oh really? Then why is Thomas nursing a black eye and busted lip if there is nothing to explain?" Wendy demanded.

"That's fine, Mom. Worry more about Thomas than me. I'm not hurting either!" Abel scoffed, turning to walk out the door.

"Abel, stop." Chibs ordered moving around from behind Wendy. "Sit down, son." Abel glared as he considered his choices. He glanced back at Chibs and caught the withering glare sent his way and decided it was best to live to fight another day.

"What happened today?" Wendy asked dropping her tone. She watched as anger flashed in her son's eyes.

"Tyler Roberts insulted Dad."

"You mean the mayor's son?" Chibs said.

"Yeah, he first called Tommy and I white trash. And then he said Dad was a mass murder and called you a crank whore." Abel muttered, shoving his fingers through his short hair. "So I hit him."

"Like father like son." Chibs murmered pushing his hands through his own hair, "Abel boy I understand why you are upset but you can't-"

"Can't what? Defend my family? My father was a lot of things, I won't deny that." Abel yelled darting to his feet. "But one thing I remember about him was that he was loyal to family. I had to do something, I couldn't let him down in that way." Wendy's eyes brimmed with tears,

"Honey I get that, but you can't go around hitting everyone who says something wrong about our family."

"And why not? Dad did it? Grandpa did it! I'm tired of being crushed under these greedy assholes who believe in nothing." Abel took a deep breath as Chibs barely contained his jaw from hitting the ground. "All they do is go about parading how much of a scum bag I am compared to them. I have to believe in something, so I believe in family."

"Abel-"

"So does Thomas, which is why Thomas jumped into that fight to cover my ass."

Chibs just stared at Abel who had just yelled the same words Jax Teller had said a decade before.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I fuck up a lot of things around here, I know I do." Abel turned, "But I couldn't let that arrogant asshole call you a crank whore or insult Dad." Abel slammed the door on his way out.

Wendy jumped as the picture hanging on the wall fell and hit the ground shattering. Covering her mouth, she got up and looked at.

Under the broken glass was Jax Teller's grinning face, arms wrapped around toddler Abel, sitting on his Harley.

"Son of a bitch!" Abel screamed grabbing the nearest thing which happened to be a rock and hurled it. It struck a tree and bounced off.

He dropped to his knees and once again grabbed at his hair, "Son of a bitch." He sat back on his heels and looked out into the trees it occurred to him that he didn't even really know where he was, Abel had just gotten on his bike and rode till he dumped it and ran blindly into the tree line.

His face hurt, dark bruises had set in across his jaw and cheek but it gave him great pleasure to know that Tyler's face looked worse. It had been worth it, Abel admitted, feeling Tyler's nose break under his knuckles had been a great feeling.

The look Joanna gave him, however, that hadn't been too great.

What the hell had he done? When Tyler had called his father a mass murderer, something inside him had snapped. It wasn't like Abel was blind to what his father really had been, everyone and their mother seemed to know the story of the Teller family.

Every since that day that Nero had driven him and Tommy out to some farm, Wendy refused to talk about Jax. When Abel couldn't sleep, he would find Wendy sitting at the kitchen table crying. At first, he didn't understand. Daddy was going to come home and it would be fine.

It took a week or so but Abel finally understood what had happened to his father. But no one ever put it into words for him. He knew what had happened to Tara too. He remembered Grandma Gemma asking him if he knew what an accident was, but Abel had been able to understand what an accident was and what happened to the first woman he ever called a mother was not an accident.

Abel knew his father was not a good man. And as long as Abel could remember, he and Thomas could recite their father's rap sheet from memory.

Murder, assault, grand theft, smuggling. Sixth grade, the teacher had asked for an essay on each student's father and small presentation.

Googling "Jackson Teller" had been a mistake.

There were over forty-five direct murders linked to Jax, and he had committed both patricide and matricide. It had all been for the good of the club, for the good of his sons, for the good of Tara.

Abel understood that but the rest of the Charming didn't. And Tyler threw it in his face often about his past. It had started that day in Sixth grade when Abel had chosen to talk about Nero, the man since the age of six he had called Dad.

Brushing off his jeans, Abel looked down at his scuffed white shoes. Junior year he had found a bunch of photos of Jax at his age and somewhere inside of him had screamed to imitate him. Somehow it would bring Abel closer to the man he remembered if he channeled him.

Completely prepared to go back to his bike and ride home, Abel caught sight of an old cabin. Curiosity got the better of him, and looking once around he decided to go check it out. The windows were broken out and everything had several inches of dust covering it. It had to have been an old hunting cabin back in the day.

Stepping through the door, nothing spiked Abel's interest. With a shrug, he turned back towards the door to walk out.

CRACK.

Pain blinded Abel as he felt his feet go out from under him. Trying to take a step forward so he couldn't fall, Abel twisted and he hit the ground. Wrenching his eyes open, he saw that one foot had gone through the floor boards, broken pieces of wood scrapping his ankle. His foot was tangling and he knew he had at least twisted it.

Wonderful. This is just wonderful.

"Shit." Abel carefully extracted his ankle from the floor boards, being mindful of his shredded skin. Peering at the wood with disdain he went to stand when he saw something that did peak his interest.

A black lockbox was set back under the edge of where the wood had splintered. Reaching inside with caution, Abel brought the box out into the light. Forgetting all about his ankle, he studied the black metal turning it this way and that.

Whipping his knife out of his pocket, Abel pried open the lid. Inside were several bundles of typed papers and one large book bound together with leather.

Abel blew the dust off of the book and looked at the title.

_The Life and Death of Sam Crow: How the Sons of Anarchy Lost Their Way. _


	2. Chapter 2

"I thought I might find you here."

Thomas looked up sharply, dashing a hand across his eyes as Joanna approached him. "You okay, Tommy?"

"I'm fabulous like always." Thomas muttered the satire thick. He squared his shoulders in an attempt for Joanna not to see what headstone he was currently sitting in front of.

Tara Knowles, the grave read. Loving wife and mother.

Joanna silently took a seat next to Thomas, brushing the dirt off the grave next to Tara's. "You're like her, you know." She said after a few minutes of silence.

"What?"

"Tara. You look like Tara. Everyone says you look like Jax but I don't think so."

"And you say that why?"

Joanna shrugged a shoulder, "You and Abel have the same eyes and hair but your face is different, I see Tara not Jax."

"Okay. And?" Thomas asked unsure of where she was going with this.

"And that is what made the difference today. It was the difference between you being the first one to smash Tyler's face in and you being the brother to talk down Abel but then backing him up even though his decision was poor." Joanna said offhandedly. Thomas frowned at her, she was kind of right. He wouldn't admit that out loud, but she was right.

Abel was wild, unpredictable, and all around hotheaded. Tyler wasn't the first person Abel had hauled off and hit. Wendy was constantly in tears over Tommy's older brother, most nights Abel was out till the early morning or didn't even come home.

But Thomas had always thought it was Abel just being Abel. Apparently, certain character traits ran through the Teller bloodline and Thomas had been lucky enough to side step them. Abel was lucky in a way he didn't understand. He remembered what Tara had been like and all Thomas had were just strange impressions every once and awhile.

Thomas could be walking through a store and he would stop dead in his tracks as some lady would walk by wearing the same perfume he remembered his mother wearing. But he couldn't draw her face to the forefront of his mind. Abel could describe what she looked like, but it was like chasing smoke for Tommy. It was always just out of reach and Wendy wasn't one to keep pictures of Tara around.

"I'm telling you this," Joanna continued as she watched Thomas's thoughts wander off into a direction of their own, "Because I wanted you to know you made the right decision today. And Abel won't say it but he's damn glad you saved his ass."

"I'm a Teller. Tellers have each other's backs, nothing more to it." Thomas said, standing up. "And your boyfriend better not forget that simple fact."

"Ex-boyfriend." Joanna corrected silently.

"You broke up with him?" Thomas asked turning back towards him.

"He insulted your father who was a former president of the very club that has kept my mother and I out of a poor house." Joanna stated also getting to her feet. "Come on Tommy, I'll take you home."

Thomas smiled at her and threw an arm around her shoulder, "So what was he? Three, two inches?" Joanna mocked disgust and anger and shoved Thomas away.

"I'll tell you about Tyler when you white biker boys stop lying about what eight inches is to my friends." Thomas threw back his head and laughed, Joanna's grin growing bigger by the minute.

Joanna followed Thomas into his house through the kitchen door. "Hi Wendy."

"Mom, what's wrong?" Thomas asked instantly. Joanna hadn't even noticed that Wendy was sitting at the table crying.

"Hi sweetie, it's nothing." She said running the back of her hand across her eyes, "I was just-"

"You must be Thomas," A deep voice interrupted. "I've heard a lot about you and your brother."

Thomas swiveled to see a man he had never seen before walking in from the living room. The man looked like he was Russian, maybe early fifties? The beard and tats made him look a little younger than he was probably was. "Who the fuck is that, Mom?"

"My name is Dave; it's nice to meet you Thomas."

"I wasn't asking you, now was I?" Thomas cut his eyes back to his mother, "Mom, who is this guy?"

"He's the man I've been seeing the last few months. We actually have something to tell you-"

"Where the hell is Abel? Does he know? More importantly, have you heard anything from fucking Nero?"

Wendy visibly winced at the name and Dave's brows turned down towards his ugly ass lips. "Nero?"

"It's a _very _long story, Dave."

"Nah, it's pretty short. My mother is married; now get the fuck out of my house."

"Thomas John!" Wendy yelled standing up. The chair hit the tile floor with a thud but Thomas held his ground.

When Abel wasn't here, he was the man of the house. When Nero left, Abel had entrusted him with that responsibility.

"It's obvious I'm not helping the situation here. Wendy, I'll call you later." Dave said picking up his jacket. Neither Thomas nor Wendy said a word till the front door closed.

"Where is Abel." Thomas asked slowly.

"I don't know, he stormed out a few hours ago." Wendy said moving to the sink. She wrung her hands before picking up the dish towel and starting to wash the blue plates they used for dinner.

"I'm going to find Abel, and Mom?" Thomas paused on his way out the door.

"Yes?"

"We are going to talk about this tonight as a _family._"

_Anarchism... stands for liberation of the human mind from the dominion of religion; the liberation of the human body from the dominion of property; liberation from shackles and restraint of government. It stands for social order based on the free grouping of individuals. The concept was pure, simple, true. It inspired me. Lit a rebellious fire, but ultimately I learned the lesson that Goldman, Proudhom and the others learned. That true freedom requires sacrifice and pain. Most human beings only think they want freedom. In truth they yearn for the bondage of social order, rigid laws, materialism. The only freedom man really wants, is the freedom to become comfortable._

Abel sat the thick manuscript down in front of him. He had plowed through pages and pages of the text. When he had opened the book, a scrap of paper had fallen out signed by Opie Winston. The scrawled handwriting was for Jax explaining that he had made a copy of this book because it was something that should go out to all the SOA Charters.

The first few pages had been confusing; until it finally struck him that he was reading the words of his grandfather, John Teller. He leaned back, dazed at best, not really noticing the headlights that cut across the broken windows of the cabin.

"Abel!"

"Abel, where are you?"

He just continued to stare at the pages ruffling in the breeze in front of him. A hand on his shoulder scaring the shit out of him. "Abel!"

"Good god, Tommy. Couldn't have given me some warning before grabbin' me?" Abel breathed.

"What did you do to your ankle, Teller?" Joanna asked crouching in front of him.

"Fell through the damn floor board." Abel groaned as Joanna poked at the battered flesh. "Ouch, damn it! Don't touch it."

"Mom's worried about you, bro." Thomas said helping Abel to his feet, supporting his weight under his shoulder. "Can you ride?"

"I don't think so." Abel grimaced as he hobbled down the steps of the cabin.

"Hey what's that?" Thomas asked, motioning to the papers in Abel's hand. "It's, uh, just some old stuff I found in the cabin. I'll show you when we get home."

Thomas helped Abel to Joanna's truck, shutting the door on the passenger side, he held out his hand to Abel. "Keys."

"Keys to what?" Abel asked.

"The kingdom. No you moron, your bike." Abel narrowed his eyes at his younger brother. "Don't look at me like that. Would you rather we leave it out in the middle of the damn forest or have me ride it back?" With a sigh, Abel dug his keys out of his front pocket and dropped them into his brother's hand.

"Keep it under sixty, you brat. You get pulled over without a motorcycle license and Mom will kill me."

"Well in that case I'll promise to keep it over sixty." Thomas stepped back before Abel could smack him.

"We'll follow you, Tommy." Joanna said starting her truck.

A few minutes later, they were pulling on the main road. Abel rested his head against the window, hands still clenched around the manuscript. Joanna let the silence fill the cab of the truck for several miles as Abel gazed out the window. Finally he shifted, grimacing at his ankle.

"Why aren't you with Roberts?" He asked. Joanna glanced over at him before glancing in her review mirror.

"Because I came to find you." She said, watching with concern as he sank down into the seat. They were still about fifteen miles outside of Charming and Abel's voice had started to drift when he spoke.

"I don't know why." Abel said an accusatory tone in his voice. At the red light Joanna braced her elbow on the steering wheel and turned to study him. She liked Abel, she really did. But he had never shown interest in her, Joanna was just one of the guys with him.

"Why wouldn't I come find you? You're one of my friends Abel."

Abel crossed his arms and shrugged, refusing to look at her. "Sorry I kind of ruined your boyfriend's pretty face."

"Ex-boyfriend's face and it's quite alright. It needed some rearranging." Abel stilled and looked over at her. Did she just say ex? Abel just barely resisted the urge to give a shout of joy; he ducked his head to keep her from noticing his grin.

Then her tone registered, and his playful mood was gone. Abel's spine had gone ramrod straight.

"Wait. What did that bastard do to you?" Abel attempted to catch her eyes, but she seemed intent on looking everywhere but him. She shrugged a hand over the hem of her sleeves and pulled it down tight around her wrist, "I handled it."

"Joanna!" Abel yelled startling Joanna. She meet his eyes and wanted to shrink away at the look he was giving her. "What did he fucking do?"

"We were arguing and he just grabbed me a little harder than he meant to. I'm fine, Abe. His jeep, however, is not so fine."

"I'll fucking kill him."

"Please don't. I'd rather you not end up in jail tonight, you're already lucky the school didn't call the police to begin with."

"Wait, what did you just say about his jeep?"

Joanna smirked, her top lip curling up in a way that had Abel struggling not to lean over and kiss her. " I dug my keys into the side of his pretty little supped up four wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats, took a Louville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all four tires and maybe next time he'll think before he cheats." Joanna sang at the top of her lungs, doing her best to imitate Carrie Underwood.

"You're amazing. Anyone tell you that?" Abel said smiling. Joanna reached over and grasped his fingers. "Just you." Taking that as invite, Abel interlaced their fingers.

"Listen Abel, Thomas and I walked in on Wendy and some guy today…" Joanna continued, glancing nervously at him. Abel snapped his eyes shut, rubbing at his temples. "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me."

"I wish I was. Thomas threw him out of the house…Wendy is really upset. I just wanted you to know what you were walking into at home."

"Abel baby, what happened?" Wendy asked as he came through the door using Thomas as support.

"Just twisted my ankle, Ma. Nothing major." He reassured as he sat down at the kitchen table. Joanna closed the door behind them into the kitchen and moved up to his room and dropped his backpack with the manuscript in it. Coming back down, she touched Wendy's shoulder.

"He's okay, Wendy. Just being stupid like usual, a few hours with ice on his ankle and he should be fine."

"Thank you, Joanna." Wendy said pulling the girl into a hug.

"Of course. I better get going." She stepped into the hug Abel offered, and gave Thomas a similar hug. The two brothers turned identical sets of eyes on Wendy as the backdoor closed.

"Who the hell is Dave?" Abel asked. Wendy dropped her head in her hands.

"Why am I being questioned by my sons? He's the man I've been seeing."

Thomas couldn't even stay seated, "Seeing? What is that supposed to mean? Like dating? Are you two serious? Good god, Mom! You're still fucking married." He tore his fingers through his hair, looking at Abel for help.

"Still waiting for details, Ma."

"Yes I have been dating Dave. And it's serious. Also, the divorce papers got filled a month ago."

Abel's jaw almost hit the ground. He knew things were bad between Nero and Wendy but divorce? The two had always had a strange relationship. Probably because sometimes it was hard to get past the fact that Nero had been screwing Grandma Gemma before taking Abel and Thomas in. They had grown up calling him "dad". He had taught Abel how to play baseball, Thomas how to ride a bike, and taught them both to be men.

Lucius, Nero's son, had been a fun kid to grow up with. Both Teller boys considered him a sibling. It had taken a few years but finally Wendy and Nero had made the decision to get married. They _were _living together, raising three boys, and doing…well _other things_. It only made sense.

But three years ago, Nero had walked out. Lucius's health had gone downhill, the spinal disease turning dangerous. He died in November of that year. The last time the boys saw Nero was at the funeral. As far as Abel knew, the two were still in contact. Nero had claimed he needed some time to grieve Lucius and figure things out in Norco.

Three years seemed like enough time to Abel and Thomas. But this wasn't anything new. They had never had a long lasting male role model in the house. Wendy's boyfriends were usually drunk idiots, their real father was dead, Nero wanted nothing to do with them, and the guys from SAMCRO were usually too busy. So it didn't really bother Abel –or Thomas- that Nero was in Norco.

"When were you planning on telling us?" Thomas yelled. Wendy didn't meet her youngest eyes as she looked down at the table. Abel was being calmer than Thomas, which was something new.

"I've been trying for a while, baby. The right time just hadn't come up." Wendy said watching with concern as several emotions washed across Tommy's face. He opened his mouth, two emotions meeting and rushing through to the top of his list.

"Go to bed, Tommy. We'll talk about this together tomorrow." Abel cut his younger brother off before he could get one more livid word out. Stunned, Thomas took a visible step back. "What?"

"I said go to bed." Abel said quietly.

"Abel-"

"_Now._" It was a tone even Wendy would have obeyed. She watched Tommy's resolve shrink under the eyes of his brother. Before she knew it, her youngest was slinking up the stairs with a sulking look on his face.

It was in that moment that Wendy saw the exhaustion written clearly on Abel. Her son went from eighteen to thirty in a matter of minutes. The bruises were dark across his jaw, the shading purple coming in around his eye, and the nerve under his right eye was twitching. In another setting, Wendy would have been amused. Abel and Jax had the exact same stress tick.

"Mom, for the love of god, give me a straight answer." Abel said, running his hand through his hair.

"Honey, I know this is hard but-"

"A straight answer, Ma!" Abel's voice rouse, his hands coming out in front of him trying to get his point across.

"Okay." Wendy said slowly. "His name is Dave, I meet him at work, his wife died a few years ago and I think you and Tommy would really like him if you gave him a chance."

Abel leaned back in his chair, his eyes focused on his mother. He was thinking, Wendy recognized that look anywhere. "Are you happy?"

"Yes, I am happy with Dave."

"Then that's all that matters. I'll handle Tommy in the morning." Abel said shoving his chair back. He limped past Wendy to the stairs pausing before he went up, "Goodnight, Ma."

"Goodnight baby."

Abel knew Thomas wasn't really asleep. The brat was pretending though, with his back towards his older brother and the covers pulled up around him. Abel lowered himself down gingerly onto the side of Tommy's bed.

"Hey kiddo, I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Thomas didn't answer.

"I'm just as upset as you are about this Dave guy, Tommy."

"Yeah, okay." Tommy muttered, scooting farther away from Abel. Abel resigned from trying to talk to his little brother with a sigh, "Goodnight, Kiddo."

Joanna was in the middle of plowing through a ten page research paper. She had thrown aside writing her own paper weeks ago in order to help Abel write his. Editing the paper had taken a good deal of time, his writing wasn't that much better than it was four years ago. By the time her mother came home from the garage, Joanna was almost done. But whatever conclusion she was planning on writing was stopped when the phone rang.

"Answer that I'm about to take a shower."

Joanna glared at her mother's back, biting her tongue to keep from demanding just what her getting in the shower had to do with not answering the phone. In the end she felt a fight wasn't really worth it and crossed the room to the telephone. "Hello."

"You sound annoyed."

Whatever annoyance she may have felt evaporated at the sound of Abel's voice. "I knew it was you."

"Been sitting by the phone waiting for me to call?" Abel could practically hear her eyes rolling over the phone.

"I can hang up, you know. I also have a cell phone."

"That would require me actually knowing where mine is, darlin'." There was a tension in his voice that she wanted to ask about, but something kept her from it. Joanna knew Abel wasn't calling her to bitch about things at home. He didn't do that. Abel simmered in his emotions and thoughts and never told anyone.

"You timed this call perfectly. I just thought of a brilliant conclusion to that AP Lit paper."

"Well I try, I can't let you be the only A student there is." This time he was sure she was rolling her eyes.

"Are you selling brideges too, Teller."

"Jesus Christ, you're a hard chick to compliment."

The conversation went on this way, the back and forth teasing. They fell into a few silences, but neither of them wanted to hang up the phone. Joanna heard her mother getting out of the shower, heard her leave the house, she kept the phone pressed to her ear she went out to lock up. The house grew darker, the neighborhood quieter, yet she remained on the phone.

"What was in those papers earlier that was so important?" Joanna asked deciding to press her luck on how much Abel shared.

"My grandfather wrote a damn book about SAMCRO." Abel admitted, she could hear him rubbing at his headache. "Found that and a few journal pages of my father's."

"Are you going to let Thomas read them?"

"Yeah, after I do. The kid doesn't need his head all twisted up with stuff about Dad, especially after tonight."

"What happened?" Joanna asked gingerly , prepared for him to change the subject and she would roll with it. Her tone left the door open, Abel could talk if he wanted to but there was no pressure.

"Wendy and Nero filed for divorce and this Dave guy has me feeling a little weird. I don't know, Wendy still isn't telling me everything but my head hurts too bad to have pushed anything tonight." Abel wondered if she'd be mad if he told her hitting Tyler hadn't been all about Jax. It was because he was angry.

Angry at everything.

Deep down, he hated Nero, he hated Chibs and Tig and Happy, and he hated Tyler for how he treated Jo.

"Abel, go to sleep. You sound exhausted."

"Yeah I am. Thanks Jo." Abel hung up, flopping down on his bed. He glanced at the frame photograph of him and Jax. The anger was truly just a mask. Because past the anger, was a deep buried ache to have his father back.

Jax would be able to handle this.

Jax would have known what to do, and Jax would have supported him.

But Abel? He felt like he was drowning.


	3. Chapter 3

With Abel still suspended, Thomas and Joanna were spending more time together than they usually did. She wouldn't admit it but Thomas was very good at keeping Tyler away from her, it seemed to still be fresh in his mind that his lose teeth and bruised jaw were from Tommy and not just Abel.

"Hey baby." Becky had caught up to them in the parking lot. Thomas fell right into step with the perky cheerleader, arm sliding around her waist.

"'Mornin', babe." Thomas murmured as he nuzzled her ear.

Becky titled her head to give him better access, smiling as her hand came up to tangle in his hair, "Hey Joanna, how are you?"

She absently mindedly twirled a strand of her hair, "Hi, I'm good. You?"

Joanna watched as the Becky didn't even hear her, the couple had seemed to get completely lost in one another. "Are they serious?"

" 'Fraid so." Caleb confirmed with a sigh. The man was old enough to have been a sophomore in college by now. But he had flunked out of senior year twice and refused to take a night class. Caleb always laughed it off that he would miss Abel and Thomas so much that he couldn't bear the thought of college. He was a few months away from earning his top rocker with the club. "Come on, I'll walk with you to class."

"Thanks Caleb." Joanna said, shooting Thomas and Becky a disgusted look.

"Can we leave now?"

The question, as well his tone, had Joanna turning thinking it was Abel behind her. Much to her dismay it was Thomas crumpling his failed English test and tossing it into the trash.

"Are you serious? I've only been to two classes and you, like, three."

"Yeah, three more classes more than I ever planned on attending." Thomas said as he leaned on the lockers next to hers.

"Is Abel at work?"

"I don't give a fuck where Abel is." Thomas scoffed. Joanna frowned, Tommy had been angry at Abel for days now. She hadn't been successful in getting the full story out of either of them. Now that she thought about it, Tommy was wearing yesterday's clothes. "Did you go home last night?"

"Nope, spent it at Becky's. Her parents are out of town." Joanna rolled her eyes.

"What are your plans for tonight?"

"Mom wants us home for some dinner with _Dave_."

The way he said Dave had Joanna internally cringing. Hate and disgust laced the word and her concern spiked even more for the Teller brothers.

"Is everything alright, Tommy?"

"Just dandy, darlin'."

"I only have one more class period and then I'm done for the day. I'll ditch with you, you know I have no problem ditching, but I have a test next period." Joanna admitted.

"You're really going to make me go home alone."

Joanna didn't know how Thomas was going to get home, considering he didn't have his license yet. Probably why he was trying to get Joanna to cut with him.

"Well, I'm sure Becky wouldn't mind the practical application to her next period health class instead of taking the written test." Joanna teased. Tommy smirked, and mockingly licked his lips. She shot him a look as he pushed off from the lockers to follow her. "What classes do you have that you're so eager to get out of?"

"You mean that you're so eager to make me attend." Thomas corrected tossing her his schedule.

"I am so terribly sorry I am keeping you from your brother's life of delinquency." Jo muttered as she looked over his schedule, "You have Mr. Hender for art? Your life sucks."

"Yeah it really does."

"I would go snag Becky unless you plan on stealing a car." Joanna advised, as the minute bell sounded.

Thomas didn't even need more prompting as he sharply turned and headed for the health classroom. She rolled her eyes as he struggled to keep his stride checked to just walking.

Just like his damn brother.

Joanna was tempted, _really _tempted to cut class and maybe go see Abel. Sure she and him had spent a lot of time together, especially recently, but the time they were alone was when they were doing homework. The thought of seeing him at work in torn jeans, and covered in grease had her itching to cut class like Thomas. It was an incredible turn on to see Abel Teller leaning over an engine. But he was at Teller Garage which would mean running into her mother. And her mother would not be happy about her cutting class. Scowling, Joanna threw her stuff down at her seat, determined to fly through this test so she could leave and go to the library and study.

"Hey, Joanna."

She barely stifled an annoyed yell at Tyler behind her. How he found her? She didn't know. Joanna was in the corner of the library studying. She had caught sight of him looking around, surveying the room. When he saw her, Tyler had smiled maliciously and decided to take the table directly behind her.

Joanna could ignore him all day long but the problem was, Tyler had leaned his chair back putting him closer than she wanted to ever be again. His position allowed him to speak softly to her, his breath blowing against her neck.

"Joanna."

Tyler's voice was low, and it caused Joanna to think about answering him.

"Yes?"

"Funny thing," Tyler began softly into her ear. "Couldn't drive my jeep to school today, had to take it to the shop."

Joanna turned her head slightly, not able to stop the slight shiver when her movement caused his lips to touch her neck. "And why would that be?"

"Someone decided to trash it."

"Imagine that." Joanna said with a huff of annoyance.

"What I can't figure out is if it was that asshole biker wanna-be or you, lovey." Tyler said.

"I think if it was the _asshole biker wanna-be_ you would have had to take your jeep to the shop in a shoe box." Joanna smiled sweetly before turning back around.

The look that came across Tyler's face was bad enough for Joanna to rethink her life decisions. Fortunately, she didn't have to suffer long as she quickly shoved her books in her backpack. Trying her to best to appear as if nothing rattled her, Joanna got up and left.

Tyler caught up to her in the hall near the bathrooms, easily stepping around her and halting her forward progress. "I know it was you who trashed my jeep, and you're going to pay for it."

Joanna kept her chin up, tried to not let her nerves show. "Really now? And you know it was me how?"

Tyler's lips curled in disgust. "Do I really have to answer that?"

"You can answer whatever you want, considering it's a free country and all." It happened so quickly, Joanna was barely aware of moving. Only that one moment she was standing in the hall and the next she was being pushed through the door into the bathroom.

Lucky for Tyler it was empty. Unluckily for Joanna, it was empty.

"I wish things weren't ending like this Jo, but you're the one who decided to go whoring around-"

"Whoring around? Are you fucking kidding me?" Joanna said, her voice raising.

"I know exactly what you are doing with Teller." Tyler growled, pointing his finger in her face.

"No you fucking don't." Joanna said shoving Tyler away from her.

"Listen here bitch, when I asked you out I didn't sign up for you to fuck white trash behind my back." With every poisonous word that Tyler spit out, Joanna felt her rage mounting.

"What I do with Abel is my business. Furthermore, we are fucking done. I thought we could work this out but obviously that isn't happening."

Tyler threw back his head and started laughing while Joanna watched this inexplicable reaction as a tiny bit of fear reared its ugly within her. This was not how today was supposed to go. He should have slunk way with his tail between his legs upset that she ended things but instead he said, still laughing, "You think you're going to get out of this that quick huh? We aren't done, sweetheart. My jeep still needs to be paid for."

Joanna glared at him and wished a thousand horribly painful deaths on his head. One question pounded its way through her head. How was she getting out of _this_? But right now, Tyler was standing opposite of the door, and a tactical retreat might be wise at the moment. Joanna wanted to give him a matching black eye but instead she turned on her heal with the full intentions of slamming the door on the way out.

Tyler slammed the door for her, in front of her face.

"You're not going anywhere until you agree to pay for my jeep and admit it was you." Tyler sneered, moving to stand in front of the door.

"Get out of my way, Tyler." Joanna said, the hair standing up on the back of her neck.

"Or what?"

Joanna remained silent as she looked at the star footplayer in front of her. He had a good point; she really didn't have a lot of options here.

"Go ahead and call the new boyfriend, have him come rescue you. You're a helpless whore to begin with."

"Fuck you!" Joanna yelled as her hand came around in arch to backhand slap Tyler across the face.

"You bitch!" Tyler's fist meet her jaw and Joanna was seeing stars. Trying to regain her balance, her arms pinwheeled and she fell back hitting her head on one of the stall doors.

Tyler had just punched her.

Tyler had just punched her? It wasn't processing, as her head throbbed in time with her heart beat.

"Look what you made me do!" Tyler yelled angrily, pacing around the titled room. Joanna flipped over onto her stomach and tried to crawl away from him, finding her way into the corner of the bathroom.

"You're going to pay for my jeep, bitch." He turned and stormed out of the bathroom slamming the door on the way out.

Joanna took a deep breath, already feeling the swelling coming up on her jaw.

Holy shit. How was she going to explain this to Abel? How was she going to explain this to her mother?

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"With Becky?"

Thomas gave a disgusted sigh, choosing not to answer his brother. Over the past few days whatever truce had settled was beginning to dissipate. Abel was becoming more demanding of his time and Thomas was about done with his whole "I need to know everything" neediness. It was close enough to the natural ebb and flow of their sibling relationship that he didn't really bother to question what brought on his older brother's sudden wanting to have him home. Tommy never censored himself when it came to Abel so their fighting had become worse over the last week, as a result he was spending more nights out than Abel.

Tommy was aware that matters between himself and Abel weren't helped by this Dave guy suddenly shoved into their lives. He had recognized Abel's look of shock and disapproval the first night they had truly meet Dave. But Abel hadn't been doing anything to get rid of the bearded Russian problem in their living room and his feelings of hate against Dave had started bleeding over on to Abel.

"Yes, with Becky."

The biting tone in Tommy's voice put Abel's back up. "Jesus Christ it was an innocent question. You're so fucking hard to talk to now days."

That stopped him and took a little wind out of his sails. "Sorry."

For several long moments they stood on opposite ends of the hall, neither sure what to say. Unable to stand the awkwardness or the silence any longer Tommy gave Abel a strained smile before heading out of the living room.

"You can't go out tonight." Abel said.

Stopping at the door, Tommy turned to his brother, his brow creased in confusion. "What? Why?"

"Mom wants us home for dinner."

"Fuck what she wants."

"Don't say that Tommy, she is our _mother._"

"Maybe _your _mother." That was like a slap to the face for Abel. His jaw almost visibly dropped. What was Tommy's damn problem? He didn't like Dave either, but he was tolerating it just so that World War 3 didn't blow off in the Teller house.

"Tara was my mother too." Abel snapped back. "And you don't mean that."

Now Tommy was irritated. Not quite yet to the point of biting heads off, but he was getting there. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the back door opening and closing in the kitchen. Leaning back he glanced through the kitchen to see Wendy and Dave come through the door. _Well fuck. _

"Tommy, Abel, I'm home!" Wendy called setting down grocery bags on the counters. Tommy made a face of disgust as Dave kissed his mother, Wendy laughing at something he had whispered.

"Hey Ma. Tommy and I are doing homework upstairs." Abel gave Tommy a pointed look and started up the stairs. With one last look at the door and what could be a night out of drinking and sex, Thomas followed his older brother up the stairs.

"Do you care at all about what Mom is doing with this asshole?" Tommy asked as soon as he closed Abel's door.

"Yeah I do, Tommy." Abel said rubbing at his rapidly growing headache.

"Then why don't you fucking do anything?" Tommy barely contained a yell of frustration. Abel always handled these things, _always. _More than once Abel had taken a punch from one of Wendy's boyfriends when the creep was getting weird with Thomas. Abel always had his back in fights at school. Abel always threw the first punch so Tommy didn't have to.

And what was Abel doing now?

He was too busy trying to tap down on Joanna then actually care about what was going on in their family.

"I can't find anything on this guy!" Abel yelled back. "His record is clean. I had Joey run his name, the guy doesn't even have a parking ticket."

Tommy didn't say anything.

"Mom is happy, Tommy. We just need to buy our time and wait for Dave to screw up and we'll convince Mom to ditch this guy. I have the same bad feelings that you do."

"Sure, Abel. Because you can just fix _everything _these days." Tommy sneered.

"What do you want me to do? Go down there and hit the guy? Start a fight? Get Mom upset? How about I spend the night in jail, would that be enough for you?"

"You're missing the point here, Abe-"

"No, Tommy. _You're _missing the point. I'm not in 9th grade anymore; I can't just punch out anyone I want."

"Jesus Christ, you sound like Chibs." Tommy said as he wrenched the door open. Abel grabbed his shoulder to stop him from leaving,-and in Tommy's defense- a little harder than he should have.

Tommy spun, fist drawn back and popped Abel in the face.

This was the 3rd time he'd been punched in the jaw in the last week, and Abel was about done with it.

Him and Tommy had gotten into fist fights before, this was nothing new. And honestly, Abel was too exhausted and stressed to get pissed off about it. Tommy left a slightly horrified look on his face.

"Abel, Thomas! Dinner!" Wendy yelled up the stairs. Abel grabbed the edge of his door and yelled back, "I'm not hungry." Before flinging it shut.

Abel might have been the one with the black eye, but he knew after a phone call with Joanna that he was the one who needed to do the most groveling.

_Damn it, I didn't mean to piss him off. _Half of him argued. _He needs to grow up and learn to deal with things like an adult. _

_Bullshit, _his other side retorted. _He's not even sixteen, it's your job to handle the responsibilities. You went out of your way to not have a problem Dave because you wanted to put Thomas in his place, show him who's boss. _

He'd always had his inner angel and inner devil arguing on his shoulder like a cartoon. Until a week ago, he'd never imagine that Thomas did too. Maybe Abel Teller wasn't such a misfit as he sometimes thought himself.

Or maybe he was. If there was a single word that encompassed everything about being the son of a dead gang president, a word that had been used more than any other: Weird. Definitely fucking weird.

By now, he should have been asleep. It was hard enough to get through long work days without enough sleep. But…he had to fix this. Maybe his brother would notice a concession that he waited up.

By one a.m. , he was pacing to keep himself awake. Joanna said someone saw Tommy with a few guys but…maybe Tommy just wasn't having it and actually took off.

_You're an asshole, Abel Teller. You're pissed off because the club doesn't want you, because Nero doesn't want you, and now you decided to fuck Thomas over with this Dave thing because he doesn't want you. _

He caught a look at himself in the living room mirror and scowled. That black eye was going to be embarrassing tomorrow. His ice pack had melted. He took it into the bathroom and tossed into the sink.

_What the hell am I going to do? _

Coming back into the living room, he froze. Tommy was standing there. Still scuffed up, knuckles bruised, though not as marked up as Abel. He'd certainly landed a good punch.

_Maybe I deserved it. _

They stared at each other, and Abel noticed absently that Thomas had an ice pack too. He must've grabbed it from the freezer in the kitchen. But it wasn't on his bruises. He was holding it out.

Something inside Abel cracked, and he rushed to speak before Thomas did. He had to say this before Tommy did. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Tommy." _Forgive me, please, don't hate me. You're the only one who didn't and I screwed that up, I'm sorry. _

Thomas just said, "Me too," and shook the pack at him. Abel took it. "Can we fix it?" He didn't mean Abel's face.

"I want to. It was…_I _was stupid. You're my brother Tommy, half or not, I don't give a fuck. You're _my _brother and I should have backed you no matter what."

"Joanna tracked me down and gave me an ear full." Abel was surprised. "In front of the guys." _Shit, that's embarrassing. _

But Tommy had a funny, faraway look in his eyes like he got reading medical journals. "It was worth it, it was either come back or tell Becky I've been sleeping with Jenna."

"You player!" Abel laughed. He put the ice pack down and started to reach for Thomas, but caught himself. Maybe Tommy still wouldn't want to be touched. But Abel and Thomas had always had a twin like set of sensitivities for each other. Tommy sensed the hesitation, and the closed the rest of the distance between them, wrapping his arms around his older brother.

They had never been big huggers but they hugged each other hard. A hug that said everything would be okay.

"You're up past your bedtime, old man." Thomas muttered.

Abel snorted. "You're underage, brat. I can still send you to bed." They let each other go at the same time. "Are we good?"

Tommy nodded, calm and resolved. "We're good."


	4. Chapter 4

"You were walking across the softball field and you get hit by a stray ball?" Abel repeated, letting how stupid her words sounded sink in.

"Yep, that's what happened." Joanna said scratching the back of her head, "I just wasn't paying attention."

Abel stared at her, his eyes narrowing, slightly daring her to continue the lie. He knew the difference between a bruised face because of a punch and getting hit in the face with a ball. And Joanna was definitely lying.

"Well if that's what you said happened, babe…" Abel replied, invading her personal space. He would let her get away with the lie today, but the truth would come out eventually. She had just walked through his kitchen door with a bruised jaw and homework. He hadn't even had the time to say hello and give her a hug before he was immediately worried about her. Abel moved in close, one hand sliding around to rest on her hip as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

Joanna considered it a miracle she didn't melt into a puddle right where she stood. "If you're not careful, Teller, people are going to start to think you have a thing for me." Because he lingered in her space, she practically spoke against his cheek.

"Everyone knows you're luring me in with the prospect of perfect grades on my next report card."

Abel was pressing his luck, and he knew it. It had been little over a week since Joanna and Tyler had broken up, and he was taking his chances. He had been subtle at first-with the flirting- but he wasn't getting the reactions he wanted.

Rolling her eyes, Joanna stepped out of his reach and started up the stairs to his room. "The mighty bad ass, Abel Teller, whipped by an A minus."

From somewhere up stairs, Thomas made a loud obnoxious whipping sound.

"Do that again and I am beating your dumb blond ass!" Abel yelled in the direction of his brother.

Joanna snickered as Thomas yelled rude comments back from his room. Abel never told her why Thomas hit him, but whatever they had hashed out last week had been good for them. They were back to being the same old "Abel and Thomas" like they usually were.

Rude to each other, protective as hell, and obnoxiously hot.

Jo rolled her eyes at those three thoughts, not believing she just _thought them._ Stepping into Abel's room, she dropped her backpack on the floor. His room was ridiculously clean for a guy, his bed was even made. It had been awhile since she had really been in his room.

True to a SAMCRO prince, his room had motorcycle art all over, Wendy's style evident in just about everything. In one corner was a desk that looked oddly enough like a work bench which was covered in motorcycle parts. On the opposite wall was his desk, covered in stacks of books, and loose pages.

She peered over at his desk and snagged a paper or two from it. There were intricate drawings of motorcycles and cars, down to every last little detail.

"Whoa." Picking up a sketch book, she flipped through it. Pages upon pages of muscle cars and imports filled the book to the brim. Some of them looked like they took hours to draw and others looked like they had been expertly drawn in less than a few minutes.

"I'll take that, thank you." Abel said as he snatched the book from Joanna.

"Those are amazing, Abe. You should do some in color."

"Sorry I only work in black. And very rarely, some very dark shades of grey." He tossed the book back on the desk. Since he was little, it was evident who was the brains in the family and it wasn't Abel. He was good with his hands, working on cars and drawing, Thomas was the smart one. The only problem was that Thomas didn't give a shit about school as long as he was chasing some girl so rarely did Thomas ever have a good report card. "Do we really have to do homework tonight?"

"Do you really want to graduate high school?" Joanna countered. Abel frowned before flopping back on his bed.

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

Joanna laughed before sitting down next to his stretched out form. "No that was rhetorical. Where's Wendy?"

"Out with Dave." Abel said darkly, rubbing his face with his hand.

"He that bad?" Joanna asked, her fingers finding his hair.

"Sorta, I don't know. He got a little nasty with Thomas the other day. I mean, Tommy was being an ass but Dave isn't allowed to act like our father."

"That's how I felt about my step-father." Joanna said quietly. Rarely did she talk about Craig. She had really liked him when her mother and him had first started dating. They got married within six months of them getting together and be the end of the year Craig was dragging Joanna outside the house in a drunken rage.

Abel looked at her, hearing that cold tone in her voice.

"You never talk about him."

"Not much to talk about when he keeps his face in the bottom of a Jack Daniel's bottle."

"The club hasn't voted him out?" Abel asked. He saw Craig Hace at the garage often enough. Always with a bottle of beer in his hand. He seemed to stay sober till about 3 P.M. and then he just mentally checked out of everything.

"No. He's too good at running the porn business." Joanna cringed.

Abel didn't know what to say to _that. _Everyone and their mother knew what Craig Hace did while he was at Cara-Cara.

Silence fell over the two. Abel folded his arms behind his head, and allowed his eyes to drift close as Joanna's fingers continued to tangle in his hair. A thought crossed his mind that he wished to hang on to a little bit longer. This felt right, the silence, there was no awkwardness.

This was perfect.

And then Joanna slammed down a Calculus book next to his head that sent him flying up and off the bed.

"Hoooly shit, Joanna! What did the math book do to you?"

"Did I hurt it? Damn, I was aiming for your head." Joanna giggled. Quicker than she even knew he could move, Abel's hand was wrapped around her knee and dumped her back on the bed. And he was hunched over her, deft fingers torturing her ticklish ribs, before she could recover.

"Abel, stop!" the command came out on a shriek of laughter, her body twisting but she was unable to fend off his attack.

"Not until you apologize to the Calculus book." He eased up a moment, thinking to allow her to catch her breath so she could speak.

"Calculus book you are the bane of my existenc-"

He cut her off by placing his hand just above her knee and squeezing. Joanna's entire body jackknifed, damn near bucking him clear off the bed.

"Okay, okay!" Joanna cried, she couldn't take any more of this torturing masquerading as tickling. "Abel."

Abel loosened his hand a bit, the ease in pressure sending her into a giggle fit. "Okay, what."

"Calculus book, I'm sorry and I love you." Abel sat back with a pleased grin, and flopped onto his back.

His smug look made it clear to Joanna that he thought he had won this fight. With her own smug smile, she grabbed the water glass off his nightstand and tossed the cold water onto his face and white shirt.

"Jo!" Abel yelled tossing Joanna off the bed with him. They landed in a laughing heap, Abel on top of Joanna.

"Come on, that was a clean shirt." He whined as he got up and peeled off the white tee.

"Sounds like a personal problem, Teller." Joanna said adverting her eyes from Abel who was still relatively on top of her.

Even though Abel refused to play a sport, he worked out two times a day. He would run in the morning with Thomas and when he got home from work, he would lift weights. Joanna had seen pictures of Jax Teller shirtless and Abel was past his father. He was taller, packed more muscle, and not smoking weed helped a lot.

As he tossed the drenched shirt to the side, Joanna caught sight of the scars she had known about but never focused on. There was a taunt white scar across his stomach, no longer in a straight line because of his abs. And then another straight white scar was seen down his sternum.

Abel caught her staring and quirked an eyebrow at her. "So it is true that chicks dig scars."

"Oh shut up." Joanna said refusing to meet his eyes and probably blushing deeply. "I've known you for nine years and I can't remember what those are from."

"I was born with half my stomach and a heart defect thanks to Wendy's crank problems. They had to fix it. Well, Tara fixed it, she was the assisting surgeon."

"Wouldn't know that from the way you run six miles every morning." Joanna said drily.

"You stalking me now, sweetheart?"

"You run by house!" Joanna said her voice catching.

"It's okay. You can admit you like watching."

"How do you stay standing with that huge ego of yours?"

"My big cock keeps me grounded."

Joanna shoved Abel off her, "Get out." She laughed.

Abel laughed with her, catching her waist with his hand, coming to hover back over her.

Neither of them would ever be sure who moved first. It wouldn't matter to Joanna. But Abel in front of the guys always swore he was the one to act. But in the moment all Abel knew was that he had to move, he had to kiss her.

His arms caught her around her waist when his lips touched hers for the first time. And fuck if her lips weren't softer than he imagined. They parted on a sigh, and he allowed his tongue entrance before he even asked, it was all he could do not to pick her up and throw her on the bed.

Joanna seemed to melt in his hands, arms coming up to run along his bare chest and back up to his neck. He tilted his head to give him better access to her mouth, their tongues tangling, one hand finding its way under her shirt to rest right below her ribs.

She was the one to break it off first, pulling back slightly. Her hands slid down to his abs as she sighed in contentment, "That took you long enough."

"Sorry, that was four years of courage built up into one kiss." Abel admitted, dropping his head to mouth along her jaw. A smirk crossed his face as she responded to the open mouthed kisses along her sensitive and bruised skin, her back arching slightly.

"Abel." Joanna said as he continued to work down her neck, finding her pulse and settling there. "Abel. Thomas is in the other room."

"And?" He grumbled into her neck.

"Abel." She said a little more sharply.

"Fine." Abel rolled his eyes, pushing up off the floor with one hand.

"Whoa, I didn't say you had to move so fast though." Joanna whined, immediately distracted by the flex of muscle that rolled through Abel's chiseled physique as he went to get up. Abel grinned, "Thomas is in the other room." He mimicked.

"Oh shut up." Joanna blushed.

He yanked open his dresser drawer to get a new shirt and caught sight of Joanna move around the side of him. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Good god, now I don't want to do homework."

"No one said it was mandatory."

Joanna scowled and reached for her backpack but refused to move away from Abel. She only succeded in knocking the bag off the chair causing a rather loud thumping noise.

"What the hell is going on in there?" Thomas yelled from across the hall. Abel opened his mouth to reply and Joanna slapped her hand over it. "Nothing, Thomas! I just dropped a textbook."

"Dropped a textbook my ass."

Abel licked her palm and Joanna made a face of disgust quickly removing her hand.

"Just remember children. Use protection." Thomas continued from across the hall, lobbing a box of condoms into the room.

"Tommy, you ass, when the hell did you even buy these?" Abel asked, picking up the box and throwing it back across the hall.

"I have my sources."

Joanna peered out of the room at Thomas, thoroughly disgusted. "That was more information than I needed to know about you Thomas."

Abel rolled his eyes, slamming the door to his room. "He likes to mind fuck everyone."

Trying to get Abel and Thomas to sit down for dinner was like trying to wrangle cats.

Something she had learned early on when Abel and Thomas had gotten old enough to really interact with each other was that they covered each other's ass. Abel blocked for Thomas, Thomas blocked for Abel, and by the end of it there was one big web of lies that both boys could make _anyone _believe. There were some days that Wendy imagined her sons having their own standup comedy show, they played so well off of each other.

But Wendy had been successful today. She had gotten both of them down into chairs for dinner. Honestly, she should have thought of it sooner. Once Wendy made their favorite meal, they came running.

As soon as both had sat down and taken a glance at each other, Wendy began to set dishes of food down on the table. She wasn't about to let them form some plan to get out of a full family dinner.

"Dave will be over later, he had some work to finish up so he won't be here for dinner." She explained. unnecessary in Abel's opinion and Thomas was just too excited about eating to care.

"I was hoping we could go to the SAMCRO charity picnic as a family." Wendy blurted out, rushing just in case Abel read her mind and countered the thought before it turned into syllables.

"Okay." Abel said picking at his meal.

"What do you mean by family?" Tommy asked hesitantly.

Wendy shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I mean you, Abel, me, and…Dave."

"So I have to call Dave fam-"

"Okay, Mom." Abel cut off Thomas. He already knew what the smart ass was saying and he was pretty sure it would piss Wendy off till kingdom come.

The rest of dinner passed much as it had nights before. The tension was thick, conversation stale. But Abel's new relationship with Joanna worked as a good distraction and kept the conversation somewhat flowing. After dinner was the problem. Thomas helped Abel clean the dishes, the whole time both brothers on edge awaiting the arrival of Dave.

"How are we getting out of this tonight?" Tommy asked handing Abel a drenched plate.

"I don't know, we could go to-"

"Wendy, I'm home!" Dave called stepping through the kitchen door. He smiled when he saw the boys, "So nice to actually see you two."

Thomas obnoxiously mocked the upbeat way Dave said hello. Abel quickly snapped his younger brother with a towel before Dave saw.

"Uh, hey…Dave." Abel said rather uncomfortable. Dave moved past the boys into the living room to find Wendy.

"We gotta leave now." Thomas hissed, no longer caring about dishes. Abel opened his mouth to reply, scrambling for a solution but no excuses were coming to mind. He caught sight of a leather jacket out of the corner of his eye.

Dave had come back into the kitchen, awkwardly lingering around the doorway.

"I want to apologize." He said abruptly.

Thomas dropped the dish in his hand back into the soapy water, spraying Abel's face and drenching his shirt. He scowled but looked at Dave, "Yeah? About what?"

"I want to apologize for how I have been acting towards you boys. It occurred to me that I am not your father and I shouldn't act like it."

Abel and Thomas merely stared at the bearded man, too dumbfounded to say anything.

Abel was the first to recover while Tommy was still trying to work through and define every word that was said. "Thanks Dave, we appreciate the apology."

Dave awkwardly nodded, "I hope we can start this over again. We got off on the wrong foot with each other."

Abel looked the man in the eyes, "Maybe we can, but we got to absorb all this first Dave. For now just do your…thing…whatever that is, with our mom and I think some distance will be healthy for all three of us."

"I…I understand." Dave said, giving a strained smile and turning around and back into the living room.

He was pissed.

Fucking pissed.

That little snot nosed brat had practically told him to fuck himself and his apology. Dave racked his hand over his face as he closed the door to his car. It was late, way late, and the light was still on in Abel's room.

He didn't know what to do about Abel. Or Thomas, but Abel was the one to worry about. Thomas followed his brother, as long as Abel was hell bent on hating something than so would Thomas. And both were hell bent on hating him.

Dave had tried, really he had. He had been nice to the boys, tried to bond with them. More than once he had offered to take them to a drag race or car show. And more than once the twits had turned him down. Thomas was a little harsher, his first few responses being a "fuck no". Abel had a little more class, apologizing and saying that they weren't interested. It was starting to drive a wedge between Dave and Wendy . Without the support of her boys, Wendy was second guessing their relationship which wasn't good.

Dave needed this relationship.

With a groan, he answered his cell phone as the ringing pierced the air. "What."

"You find anything out?"

"No. Wendy won't move in this relationship without the little assholes."

"I told you to apologi-"

"I fucking did!"

"Fix it."

Dave pulled the phone from his ear checking to see if they were still connected. They weren't. He tossed his phone onto the floor boards, not giving a single fuck. His client was a difficult man, and when his client wasn't happy…well then Dave wasn't happy.


End file.
